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Insomnia

We all have sleepless nights from time to time, sometimes it's because the room is too hot or too cold, sometimes there's something noisy happening nearby and sometimes we find that our minds just don't want to stop churning over thoughts. If this happens occasionally we can cope; however if it becomes a nightly occurrence every aspect of our life begins to suffer.

If you notice that sleeplessness is becoming an issue for you it's worth first of all visiting your GP to eliminate any possible physical causes e.g. hormonal fluctuations, medications can also be a trigger for insomnia, your GP can investigate and eliminate any possible physical cause. Depression and insomnia often co-exist in much the same way as the chicken and the egg it can be difficult to determine which came first.

There is a myth that alcohol helps you sleep, in fact the opposite is true. If you drink regularly, try eliminating this for a few evenings and see if you notice an improvement. Stay hydrated throughout the day, as dehydration can cause sleeplessness too.

Reviewing your sleep hygiene and making any changes necessary in order to get your sleep back on track. The chart below is a great illustration of the kind of things to consider:​

Clearing your mind can be easier said than done, however there are a couple of techniques that do help with this:

Make a list of everything you need to do the next day

Make a list of everything you can think of to worry about

Leave the pen and paper by your bed

Review the lists. Confirm that all items can all wait until the morning and in fact will be better handled after a good nights sleep. Note the pen and paper is there in case anything urgent occurs to you in the night.

Give yourself permission to go to sleep.

Sometimes there is a subconscious reason for the insomnia, an unresolved emotion or worry that you many not be consciously aware of while lying awake at night. This can be something that happened recently or a long time ago that was recently evoked or triggered by something that was similar to your minds pattern of recall for the particular event (sometimes memories can be triggered by smells, phrases, places etc.). It doesn't have to be anything of great significance consciously it simply is something unresolved. The brain does not like incomplete loops as they drain resources processing in the background , just like Apps on your phone. If something is processing away unresolved the brain will try to find away to resolve it as soon as it's brought to the surface again (or front of the metaphorical phone screen) this may manifest as sleepless nights.

Hypnotherapy is a highly effective way of bringing this to resolution and training the brain to resume or develop a healthy sleeping pattern again. Even where the reasons for the insomnia are conscious Hypnotherapy can help restore the brains sleep pattern, through a process of virtual retraining via the imagination during trance. If you'd like to know more about how I can help you give me a call on 0435 923 817 or use the contact form on my Insomnia page.

If you’ve been having trouble sleeping it can have a cumulative impact on your life. Your concentration and memory will suffer, you’ll lack energy and motivation and your appearance will deteriorate. Sleep is a habit, and sometimes a disruption to our sleeping cycle will break our good sleeping habit and create a new disrupted sleeping pattern.

There are 3 types of insomnia:

·Sleep onset insomnia

·Sleep maintenance insomnia

·Early awakening insomnia

Some instances of sleep disturbance are as a result of a physical condition e.g. menopause, overactive thyroid, chronic pain. It is important to talk to a doctor to eliminate any possible medical condition as the cause.

The body craves routine, therefore a good sleep hygiene routine is essential to getting a good restful night’s sleep, and this routine should include:

·No eating within 4 hours of sleep, avoid heavy meals particularly late in the day

·Avoid stimulants such as caffeinated or energy drinks, I would suggest avoiding these after mid-day to ensure you have metabolized them completely before bed time.

·Avoid screen time, I know so many of us are using our phones as alarm clocks, however we don’t really have to have them on our bedside table. The temptation to pick them up and check our social media pages or email can be all too tempting when we wake in the night.

·Stick to a regular bed time. The body responds well to this, it likes to follow a regular pattern, they don’t call it a body clock for nothing!

·Enjoy a gentle walk after dinner to wind down

·Read a book, or even an inspirational thought.

·If you’re open to it a Journal can be a great way to end the day. I’d suggest that firstly brain dumping anything that you’re worried about is a good way of clearing the mind and avoiding that cycle of going over and over the same thing as you lie awake (otherwise known as ruminating). Always conclude with a gratitude entry, even in the worst day there’s always something to be grateful for , even if it’s that warm cup of tea or the pretty flower you saw growing by the side of the road (against the odds).

Sometimes if insomnia has become chronic, you may need to devote some additional effort into breaking the back of the poor sleep habit. You may need to have some additional rituals to reset your sleeping mode, these could include:

·Doing some gentle stretching and deep breathing exercises

·Taking a warm relaxing soak in the bath with some essential oils

·Having an oil diffuser in your bedroom pre sleep time with some relaxing essential oils

·Listening to sleep hypnosis or guided meditation before drifting off and focusing on your breath until you drift off to sleep.

oThis breathing technique is highly effective for inducing sleep. Inhale for a count of 7, hold for a count of 4, and gently exhale for a count of 8. Repeat this breathing process and you will find that your body and mind relaxes as your focus on the breath increases and you will slip into sleep. Don’t worry if your mind wanders, that will happen, when you become aware of it just gently bring your focus back to your breath and you will hopefully see results.

Clinical Hypnotherapy is highly effective in the treatment of chronic sleeping disorders; if you find that you need further assistance to restore a healthy and restorative sleeping pattern, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 0435 923 817.

Author

Melbourne Hypnotherapist Georgina Mitchell was born in Ireland, moving to Australia in 1989. Georgina Specialises in helping people with Anxiety Disorders and is an active member of the Melbourne Hypnotherapy Community. In Melbourne Hypnosis is being accepted as effective tool for anyone wanting to achieve a positive change in Mood, Behaviour and Habit.

Hypnotherapy Melbourne Reviews for Hypfocus

"Georgina has helped me overcome depression and anxiety so that I was able to finish my course and get a job. I've started going to the gym again which I had previously given up because I felt too self-conscious and couldn't stand being hot. It's really changed my life for the better, I can manage my thoughts and don't have the overwhelming feelings that used to see me spiraling downwards anymore. I've tried other therapies and this was my last resort, I can't recommend her highly enough"

Disclaimer: As with all therapies Hypnotherapy results vary from person to person. This website is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. The reader should consult their GP for medical advice and for any symptoms that may require medical intervention. The content on this website is for the information of people considering Hypnotherapy at Hypfocus.

Hypfocus Practitioner Georgina Mitchell Is A Member of the HCA

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